Fbank i



(No Model.)

P. I. MYERS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 327,576. Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

"gal-Ill" lllll WITNEZE E5 lUNTTnn STATEs FRANK I. MYERS, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

EPACIFJICATEQN f raring part of Letters Patent No. 327,576, dated October 6, 1885.

Application filed December 5, 1884. Serial No. 149,583. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK I. MYEns, of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Railway Signaling Apparatus, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a railway signaling apparatus of the kind known as trackinstruments.

The object of the apparatus is to cause the train to close and open a circuit automatically by passing over a certain point of the track, and to thereby operate a signal.

My improved instrument is attached directly to the rail, and thus as the rail is raised or lowered the relative position between the instrument and rail is never disturbed.

The invention consists in the various features of improvement hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved signaling apparatus, showing it attached to a rail. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 00 a, Fig. 1. Figs. 3, at, and 5 are detail views illustrating the mechanism for fastening the main spring.

The letter A represents a railroad-rail. To one side of this rail is bolted, in manner hereinafter described, a metal plate, a, which is bulged out centrally, so as to fit against the web of the rail between tread and foot. The plate a is of such a height, preferably, that it projects over the lower edge of the tread, as shown in Fig. l. The upper edge of plate a is made of undulating form, being highest at the center and at the ends, while the portions between center and ends are curved downwardly. These downward curves are beveled so as to produce inclined top edges, which prevent the dust from settling upon them.

I) is a fiat spring attached at its ends to the ends of the plate a, and bent upward at its center, so as there to project above the upper edge of the tread.

Below the central portion of the spring I) there is placed a rod, 0, which is free to reciprocate in a vertical direction.

The plate a is provided with a central chamber, d, of oval or other form, open in front and closed at the back and sides. At the back this chamber is provided with a longitudinal groove, which receives rod 0, the upper part of said rod first passing through an aperture in the upper wall, 6, of said chamber. Into said aperture I prefer to place a packing to exclude water and dust.

The lower part of rod 0 is made thinner than the upper part, and such lower part is surrounded by a spiral spring, f. This spring rests with one end against the shoulder g of the rod 0, and with the other end against a seat formed at the bottom of chamber (1.

It is plain from the foregoing that as the main spring I) is depressed it will push down rod 0, and as pressure is released the rod will be again pushed up by spiral springf.

h is a pin attached to rod 0, and projecting through an upright slot in a plate, 2', which is screwed against the back of chamber (2, so as to separate the grooved portion of said chamber from the main front portion. This plate z is made of an isolating material.

To the plate a are secured two metal blocks, j, and to each metal block there is fastened a spring-plate, k, which is bent first inward and then outward. In place of using two blocks, j, and spring-plates It, but one such block and plate may be employed.

Z is a wire of an electric circuit, which is attached to either of the blocks j and passes out at the bottom of chamber d. These blocks may, if desired, be connected by a short crosswire, so that if one plate It should not come in proper contact with pin it the contact is made by means of the other plate.

in is a flanged lid or cappieee for closing the chamber (Z, and resting upon a flanged seat formed around said chamber.

Figs. 3, 4, and o illustrate more in detail the mode of attaching the main spring 1). Each end of this spring is ccncaved to form a seat, and the concave portion is slotted lengthwise, as seen in Fig. 5.

a is a fastening-pin made of T shape. The upper bar of this pin rests within the concave seat, while its shank is driven into the upper end of plate a. A perforation is made into the lower end of the shank, and through this perforation is passed a pin or screw, 0, which prevents the withdrawal of pin a under severe strain.

The plate a is fastened to the rail A by means of two screw-bolts, 29, passing bodily through plate and rail. The end of each bolt carries a nut and a washer, q, which covers the pin 0. A slot in washer q allows access to pin 0 by a partial revolution of the washer.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the driving-wheels of the locomotive project over the rail they will depress spring bf This spring will push down rode and cause the pin h to come into frictional contact with spring-plates 7r, thus establishing metallic connection with wire l. As soon as the pressure on spring b is removed the spiral spring f which has been depressed will throw the rod 0 up and break the circuit. rise automatically.

The spiral spring f may in some cases be omitted, and then the rod 0 is attached to spring I). In this case the spring b will draw the rod 0 up as pressure is released.

I claiinas myi:nve1ition-- a 1. The combination of plate a, adapted to be bolted to a rail between tread and foot, and having chamber d, with a vertically-sliding rod, 0, entering said chamber, and adapted to The spring I) will make metallic contact with plates 76, and with a spring, I), bearing upon rod a, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of plate a, adapted to be bolted to a rail, and having a bulge to fit against the webbetween tread and foot, with the vertically-sliding rod 0, entering a chamber, d, inplate a, and with spring 22 above rod 0, and adapted to force it down in metallic contact with plates is, substantially as specified. 3. The combination of plate a, adapted to be bolted to a rail, and having chamber d, and an isolating-plate 6, within said chamber, with the sliding rod 0, and spring-plates k, which are secured to the isolating-plate, and with the spring I), which bears on rod 0, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of plate a, adapted to be bolted to a rail, with a vertically-sliding rod, 0, and spring-plates 70, contained in a chamber, d, within plate a, and with a spring, b, secured to plate a by the T-shaped pins n, substantially as specified.

FRANK I. MYERS. 

